The Haitian Dollar, Then and Now - How the US dollar affects the Haitian economy

Have you ever wondered how the US dollar affects the Haitian economy? I just realize life in Haiti is NOT more expensive then it was before, it's just the US dollar that is to high... Read this and you will understand...

Currency: Haitian Gourde, US Dollar, Domincan Peso

KREYOL: Lavi a pa PI Cher en Haiti, se DOLA US la ki monte two WO

When I was a child growing up in Haiti back in the 80's the monthly budget of the house was 600 Haitian gourdes. Back in those days, you needed 5 gourdes for one US dollar. So, the house budget was 120 dollars US.

These days, you need 63 gourdes for one US dollar. Therefore, in order to operate the same household with the same budget, my mother would need, $120 US X 63 = 7,560 gourdes.

Do you understand it now? My mom's 600 gourdes from the year 1984 had the same buying power as your 7,560 gourdes that you have in your pocket right now.

So the way I'm thinking about it. The cost of living didn't really go up in Haiti.

What do you think about that?

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Tags: haitian economy, Money, The Haitian Dollar, Haitian Newsletter Articles, Business

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All Comments (2)

Jinho Labou says...

The price of things in Haiti depends more than just the price of the American dollar.

It depends on internal demand.

How well crops did. For what you say to be true we'd have to say that the only thing that's changed in the two countries is the exchange rate. Yes, the exchange rate matters for anything that is imported, but not internal things as

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Woodring says...

Lè mwen te timoun piti ap grandi an Haiti nan lane 1980 yo, bidje lakay la te 600 goud chak mwa (120 dola Haitien).

Se ak 600 goud saa manman m te peye sevant, peye kouran, bay kay la mange 3 fwa pa jou, lekol ti moun etsetera era...

ENGLISH: Read (resource)

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